Two major dealers in the drugs trade were among seven people being detained last night in connection with the seizure of cocaine and heroin with an estimated street value of €2 million.
One of the men being questioned following drugs raids in Dublin, Louth and Meath yesterday and on Thursday is believed to be one of the most significant criminals in the drugs trade in Leinster.
He has been importing cocaine and heroin into Ireland for many years, and was on bail in relation to previous drugs offences when he was arrested near Ardee, Co Louth, on Thursday.
He is based along the Border, and was due in court next week to answer charges in relation to earlier drug seizures.
Members of the Garda National Drugs Unit arrested the 34-year-old as he sat in his car at a disused grain yard and shed near Ardee at 7pm on Thursday.
A search of the car yielded 7kg of cocaine, with a street value of almost €500,000. Heroin weighing 3kg and valued at €600,000 was also found in the vehicle.
The main suspect was arrested, along with another man in his 30s related to him. A third man, aged 18, who was on foot as gardaí moved in, was also arrested at the yard.
Yesterday morning gardaí using sniffer dogs conducted a follow-up search at the premises, and discovered another 3kg of heroin, worth €600,000, hidden in the floor.
All of the drugs recovered were found in vacuum-packed bags which had been branded with a hand-print logo. Garda sources said the logo could be used by gangs to identify the source of the drugs if they were satisfied with the quality and wanted to buy more.
The three men were being detained last night at Navan and Drogheda Garda stations. They were being questioned under Section 2 of the Drug Trafficking Act, and can be held for up to seven days without charge.
In a separate operation in Dublin, four men were arrested after members of the Garda National Drugs Unit seized 7kg of cocaine with an estimated street value of €500,000 at a house in Coolock just before 8pm on Thursday.
The men were arrested during a planned raid on a house on Clonshaugh Avenue, where the cocaine and a mixing agent were found. Gardaí believe the house was being used to mix and package drugs.
One of the men arrested is well known to gardaí and is related to a man who is believed to be one of the biggest drug dealers on the north side of the city. The four were last night being questioned at Garda stations in Malahide, Coolock, Santry and Whitehall.
Garda sources believe the four to be the nucleus of a very active gang which distributes cocaine in Dublin.